Game apparatus



y 1962 o. w. HUNT 3,033,569

GAME APPARATUS Filed Oct, 26, 1959 2 Sheets-.-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Oscar 14 Hun z.

A 7' TOR/V578.

Unie grate This invention relates to new and amusing game apparatus, and more particularly to a game in which balls or the like are propelled over a playing surface.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide a game apparatus including a member having a playing surface with the periphery of said surface defined by elastic strips with a projector member removably mounted on said strips for propelling game pieces in the form of balls, marbles or the like over said playing surface; to provide such a game apparatus with a plurality of pockets in the playing surface and a plurality of balls or the like adapted to be struck by a game piece for moving the balls; to provide such a structure wherein a projector member is movable to selective positions around the periphery of the elastic strips at angles relative thereto for changing the direction or path of the game peice; to provide such a game apparatus wherein a game board has a flat playing surface with a plurality of spaced uprights arranged around the periphery of said playing surface with flexible strips such as rubber strands attached to said uprights to extend therebetween to provide tension strands forming resilient striking surfaces in a fence surrounding the playing field to prevent balls or other rolling devices from rolling beyond the periphery of the playing surface; and to provide a game apparatus which is economical to manufacture, to form a novel, interesting device for use indoors or outdoors in playing, amusing and instructive games of skill.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and example certain embodiments of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the game apparatus with playing pieces arranged on the playing field.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the game apparatus on the line 2-2, FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the game apparatus and projector member on the line 3-3, FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial perspective view illustrating the arrangement of the spaced posts and elastic strips thereon.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial perspective view of a modified form of spaced post and elastic strip arrangement thereon.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial perspective view of a further modified form of game apparatus and posts and arrangement of the elastic strips thereon.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

The numeral 1 generally designates a game apparatus embodying the features of the present invention which includes a fiat member 2 preferably in the form of a game board composed of suitable material such as wood or plastic and having a flat upper face. The board is illustrated as being octagon in shape, although it will be understood that it may be any geometric shape desired. The board may be sectional and folded for ease of shipping, handling and storage. A peripheral wall 4 extends upwardly from the upper face 3 of the board to entirely surround a playing field 5. While the wall 4 may be arranged along the edges 6 of the board 2, it is preferably spaced inwardly therefrom, as illustrated in FIG. 1. In the illustrated structure the wall 4 defines a substantially atent r 3,033,569 EQ Patented May 8, 1962 circular playing field, although it will be understood that the playing field may be of any geometric shape desired and including various polygonal shapes, such as squares, rectangles and the like.

The wall 4 consists of a plurality of spaced posts 7 arranged around the periphery of the playing field, said posts preferably extending into sockets 8 opening from the upper surface of the board 2 or other support and suitably secured whereby the posts are upright relative to the playing surface or field defined by the peripheral wall 4. A plurality of resilient strips 9 are attached to the posts 7 and extend therebetween in tensioned relation to define a resilient cushion or wall around the playing field. A plurality of balls 10 are placed upon the playing surface of the board, which balls are adapted to be struck and knocked into suitable pockets 11 arranged on the playing field adjacent thewall 4. In the illustrated structure, there are four pockets 11 arranged in substantially diametn'cally opposite relationship.

It is preferable that each player have a playing piece in the form of a ball 12 which is placed adjacent a selected position around the peripheral fence or wall, and said playing piece struck by a projecting member 13 to propel said playing piece against one of the balls or marbles 10 in an efifort to direct said ball or marble 10 into a pocket 11. The projecting member is preferably removably connected to a rubber bandor strip 9 and slidable thereon between selected posts 7, and the projecting member grasped and pulled outwardly as shown in FIG. 3 and then released to strike the playing piece 12 to propel same with substantial force across the playing area. The spacing of the strips 9 is such that the spaces 14 therebetween are substantially smaller than the diameter of the balls 10 and 12 whereby the resilient fence or wall prevents the marbles or balls from rolling beyond the edges of the playing surface.

In the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive, the posts 7 are arranged in spaced pairs with the posts of each pair spaced apart a distance less than the diameter of the balls or playing pieces. The board, with the illustrated arrangement of posts may be sectional with the joint on a diametrical line extending between the posts of each of diametrically opposite pairs. A plurality of continuous flexible elastic strips or rubber bands are stretched between posts of each of two adjacent pairs whereby the rubber bands extend around the respective posts and are tensioned therebetwen as shown in FIG. 4. The rubber bands or strips are applied to the other posts around the playing field to provide a substantially continuous fence or resilient wall broken only by the spaces between the posts of the respective pairs. With this arrangement of the rubber bands or strips, the spacing 14 between the bands on the posts may be very small to form a substantially continuous wall from the playing surface 5 to the upper edges of the wall. The projecting member 13 is preferably formed of wood or plastic, and includes a head portion 16 at one end of a shank 17. The other end of the shank is provided with a slot 18 that extends longitudinally of the shank to form a bifurcated structure with spaced legs 19 adapted to straddle a rubber band 9 of the wall or fence whereby the projecting member may be placed over the selected band and moved thereover until the band extends through the slot 18 adjacent the end 20 toward the head end 16. To retain the projecting member on a rubber strip, said projecting member is provided with a suitable keeper or retainer member 21 which preferably is in the form of a ring or the like of suitable size whereby it may be applied to the slotted end of the projecting member by moving the legs '19 toward each other, and then the ring is slid along the shank to a position substantially engaging the rubber strip extending through the slot where said ring member is received in grooves 22 on the shank to retain said ring member in position. The retainer 21 may be a rubber band or other suitable retainer to prevent the projecting member from leaving the rubber strip when said projecting member is released in propelling a playing piece.

The operation or play of the game is accomplished in the following manner:

, A plurality of balls or marbles are arranged substantially near the center of the playing area as, for example, twenty balls. The halls are preferably numbered, as for example, four balls having the number one, and the same quantity having each of the numbers two to five. A player then selects his position around the board; then removes the keeper 21 from the projector member, places the projector member on a rubber strip at a selected position around the wall by moving the projecting member over the rubber strip whereby said strip enters the slot 13 and is moved to the end thereof. The keeper 21 is then replaced to hold the projector member on the rubber strip. The projector member is slidable along the rubber strip and may be angled relative thereto for desired direction. The player places the playing piece or ball 12 in the desired position adjacent the wall and projector member, and then grasps the legs 19 of the projecting member and pulls same outwardly to obtain the desired tension on the respective rubber band, and upon release of the projecting member the rubber band will impart a motion to the projecting member causing it to strike the playing piece 12 and drive same in the desired direction toward the balls or marbles 10, it being the intent of the game to cause said marbles 10 to enter the various pockets 11. If a marble enters one of the pockets, the particular player making the shot removes the marble and places it on his side of the board whereby the number on the marble will be counted as a part of his score when the game is ended. After a shooter has finished, the next player around the board then places a projector member on the resilient fence in the desired position and arranges his playing piece 12 whereby he can project same to strike one or more of the marbles 10. The projector members may be turned at any desired angle relative the rubber strips of the fence, and the playing pieces may be directed toward portions of said fence whereby they will rebound or bank therefrom to strike marbles on the opposite side of the board that would be out of a direct line from the players position. The playing pieces or balls on striking the elastic band or fence will be deflected, and if moving at substantial velocity they may impinge the resilient fence one or more times and be deflected to various areas of the playing field. The elastic band or strip forming the wall or fence is relatively sensitive, and there can be variations in the rebound effect, depending upon the distance the ball impinges on the strip from a supporting post, adding to the skill required in causing the playing pieces and balls to move in desired paths over the playing area. The game is continued with each player shooting his playing piece in order until all of the balls have been knocked into the pockets and removed, and then the players count the numbers on the balls they have succeeded in getting into the pockets to determine the score of the respective players and the Winners.

In the form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 5, the posts 23 are preferably formed of suitable plastic or the like, with the lower ends suitably secured in the sockets 24 in the game board, and the upstanding portions 25 of said posts are provided with a central longitudinal slot '26 to form spaced fingers 27 on which rubber bands or strips are applied, substantially in the manner the bands are applied to the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive.

In the form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 6, there are a plurality of single upstanding posts 28 arranged around the periphery of the playing field, and rubber bands or strips 29 are applied to adjacent posts and moved to the bottom thereof, and then a rubber band or strip 30 is applied to one of the posts above the band 29 and extends in the opposite direction from the band 29 to the next post 31. Then a second hand or strip 32 is applied to the first two posts in alignment with the band 29 and spaced upwardly therefrom the width of the band 30. With this arrangement, the bands are staggered on adjacent sets of posts and said bands are of less width than the marbles are in diameter whereby the spacing 33 between adjacent bands of :1 tier will be such that the balls or marbles cannot pass therebetween. Any number of bands or strips may be applied to obtain the desired height of the fence or resilient wall. The game apparatus with the fence as illustrated in FIG. 6 is used to play the game in the same manner described relative to the apparatus shown in FEGS. 1 to 4 inclusive.

It is to be understood that while I have illustrated and described certain forms of my invention, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts herein described and shown except insofar as such limitations are included in the claims.

What I claim and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a game apparatus, a board having a flat playing surface, a plurality of upright posts spaced peripherally around the playing surface and extending upwardly from said board, a plurality of rubber strands having pliable and elastic properties attached to the upright posts and extending across the-spaces therebetween with one strand above the other in spaced relation and under slight tension to define an upright resilient peripheral wall around the playing surface, said board having spaced pockets at predetermined points in the playing surface, a plurality of rolling objects adapted to be positioned on said playing surface with certain of said rolling objects adjacent the peripheral wall, a projector member having an elongate shank and an impact head at one end thereof, said projector member having a slot extending longitudinally thereof from the end opposite said head and terminating in one end adjacent said head whereby said projector member is removably and slidably mounted on said rubber strand of the resilient wall by selectively positioning said projector member with the rubber strand extending through the slot adjacent said one end thereof and moving said projector member along said rubber strand between adjacent upright posts, and a keeper movable on said projector member shank to a position engaging said rubber strand to retain said rubber strand between said keeper and said one end of the slot whereby said projector member is supported by said rubber strand, said projector member being adapted to be pulled outwardly at selected angular relation to said board and rubber strand to tension said rubber strand and then released to strike certain of the rolling objects to propel same over the playing surface toward the pockets therein.

2. In a game apparatus, a board having a playing surface, a plurality of upright posts spaced peripherally around the playing surface and extending upwardly from said board, a plurality of rubber strands having pliable and elastic properties attached to the upright posts and extending across the spaces therebetween and under slight tension to define an upright resilient peripheral wall around the playing surface, a playing piece adapted to be positioned on said playing surface adjacent the peripheral wall, a projector member having an elongate shank and an impact head at one end thereof, said projector member having a slot extending longitudinally thereof from the end opposite said head and terminating in one end adjacent said head whereby said projector member is removably and slidably mounted on said strand of the resilient Wall by positioning said projector member with the rubber strand extending through the slot adjacent said one end thereof and moving said projector member along said rubber strand between adjacent upright posts, and a keeper on said projector member engaging said rubber strand to retain said strand between said keeper and said one end of the slot whereby said projector member is supported by said rubber strand, said projector member being adaptedto be selectively positioned in a line with the playing piece and the direction of desired movement thereof and pulled outwardly relative to said playing surface to tension said strand and then released to strike the playing piece to propel same over the playing surface, said board exteriorly of said resilient peripheral Wall being free of interference with outward and angular pulling of said projector member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Mathewson July 6, 1880 Schneider Apr. 17, 1900 Lounsbury Apr. 23, 1901 Matthews Feb. 2, 1904 McCluskey Sept. 26, 1905 Irwin Oct. 27, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Dec. 4, 1952 France Ian. 14, 1955 

